Cleaning device for the surface of a facade

ABSTRACT

A cleaning device ( 9 ) for a facade surface ( 3 ) of a building ( 1 ), comprising at least one elongate wiper strip unit ( 10 ) movable back and forth along at least one guide rail unit ( 6 ) by means of a stationarily arranged drive motor ( 45 ), the wiper strip unit extending at right angles to the guide rail unit ( 6 ), and comprising at least one cleaning fluid line ( 29 ) with which spray nozzles ( 31 ) directed towards the surface ( 2 ) to be cleaned are connected; for a simple, space-saving design thereof, the wiper strip unit ( 10 ) includes at least one carrier ( 19 ) slidingly guided in the guide rail unit ( 6 ), the carrier being tightly connected to a linear driving element ( 32 ), e.g. a toothed belt ( 33 ) that is movable along the guide rail unit ( 6 ), the stationarily arranged drive motor ( 45 ) being associated with this driving element.

[0001] The invention relates to a facade cleaning device for a facadesurface of a building, and comprising at least one elongate wiper stripunit movable back and forth along at least one guide rail unit by meansof a stationarily arranged drive motor, the wiper strip unit extendingat right angles to the guide rail unit, and further comprising at leastone cleaning fluid line with which spray nozzles directed towards thesurface to be cleaned are connected.

[0002] Such a cleaning device is known from EP 709 054 A, wherein, inone embodiment of this known cleaning device, the wiper strip unit ishorizontally moved over the height of the facade and, in another one, isvertically moved along guide rails which are mounted on the facade. Thewiper strip unit of this known cleaning device is equipped with separatemotors so as to drive the wiper strip unit along the guide rails inwhich driven toothed wheels engage with a stationary toothed rail, onthe one hand, and a pump, on the other hand so as to spray cleaningfluid via the spray nozzles provided in the region of the wiper stripagainst the surface to be cleaned. This known cleaning device thus isquite complex in its construction, the expenditures being even thehigher as several such cleaning devices are adjacently arranged perfacade and in each of these cleaning devices a wiper strip unit equippedwith its own motor drive etc. is present. Moreover, the wiper stripunits displaceable in the manner of a carriage are comparativelyvoluminous, due to the installation of both motors as well as of thepump for the cleaning fluid, wherein, however, it would be desirable forthe cleaning devices not, or not substantially, to impair the appearanceof the building facades.

[0003] From EP 0 047 344 A1 a window cleaning device is known in which aspraying and/or wiping unit is displaceable along the window pane by aidof a spindle and a nut mounted on the spindle, which nut is rigidlyconnected to the spraying and wiping unit, respectively. Such a spindledrive is comparatively complex and massive, and this is the more so if aspindle drive has to extend over the entire height of a building—in thecase of a facade cleaning device—resulting also in a high risk ofself-locking.

[0004] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,138 A, a comparable automatic windowcleaning device is described in which a cleaning unit is mounted fordisplacement by spindles arranged on both sides of a window pane. Inaddition, a brush unit is provided which is rotatably driven via a bevelgear drive. Here, too, a complex construction of the drive of thecleaning unit is the result.

[0005] In DE 39 23 070 A, a window cleaning device comprising a cleaningelement movably arranged on a window frame is shown, which cleaningelement includes a brush between two rubber strips. A cleaning solutionis laterally supplied into the space between the rubber strips, whichcleaning solution, however, particularly in case of larger widths of thearea to be cleaned, is only unevenly distributed over the respectivewidth.

[0006] Finally, from EP 302 343 A, a window cleaning arrangement,particularly for motor vehicles, is known in which a windshield wiper ismovable back and forth along a windshield by aid of two counter-rotatingbelts serving as driving means. By aid of counter-rotating belts, aninclined positioning of the windshield wiper is to be enabled,resulting, however, in quite a complex driving means which is suitablefor small window panes only.

[0007] It is now an object of the invention to provide a cleaning deviceof the initially defined type, which has a simple and efficient design,requires little space so that it is hardly noticeable on the facade of abuilding and which, moreover, is also capable of being retrofitted toalready existing facades of buildings. Moreover, the risk of a jammingor self-locking of the drive should be low.

[0008] The inventive cleaning device of the initially defined type ischaracterized in that the wiper strip unit includes at least one carrierslidingly guided in the guide rail unit, the carrier being fixedlyconnected to a linear driving element that is movable along the guiderail unit, the stationarily arranged drive motor being associated withthis driving element. With such a construction, the aforementioned aimis met in an advantageous.manner, wherein particularly the wiper stripunit can be kept comparatively compact and small since it need notaccommodate any drive units. The linear driving element which is drivento move back and forth is received in the drive rail unit, and it may,e.g., be a driving rope, a driving belt or the like, preferably atoothed belt; this driving element is fixedly coupled to the carrier ofthe wiper strip unit which thereby is driven by the driving element tomove back and forth and in its movement entrains the wiper strip unitproper along the facade surface to be cleaned. Thus, the risk of aself-locking of the drive can be substantially reduced as compared toknown spindle drives, whereby also time and costs for any possiblerepair and maintenance work are reduced. In small embodiments it wouldin theory be conceivable that such a carrier is provided only on oneside of the wiper strip unit, so that the wiper strip unit will freelycantilever from the carrier, i.e. from the guide rail unit; this would,above all, be conceivable in that case in which the back and forthmovement of the wiper strip unit with the carrier is horizontal.Preferably, however—with a view to the then simpler guide construction—avertical movement of the wiper strip unit is provided for, with thewiper strip unit also having an appropriate width for the cleaning oflarger facade surfaces in one cleaning procedure so that then it will besuitable to arrange carriers on both ends of the wiper strip unit so asto guide the wiper strip unit on both sides in guide rail units. Thedriving elements in the guide rail units may be driven from a commonstationary drive motor via appropriate gears and shafts so that therespective expenditures will additionally be reduced, apart from thefact that a stationarily arranged drive motor already helps reduce theconstruction expenses required for the cleaning device.

[0009] As has already been mentioned, the driving element might, e.g.,be a rope or a belt, wherein it would, moreover, be conceivable to reelthis driving element off drums, or to wind it up on drums, when thewiper strip unit is to be moved back and forth. For an efficient,space-saving design, it has, however, proven particularly suitable ifthe driving element is an endless driving element which is wound abouttwo wheels or the like stationarily arranged beyond the points ofreversal of the movement stroke of the wiper strip unit, one of thesewheels being drivable by the drive motor.

[0010] If the wiper strip is designed with an appropriately stiff stripbody or carrier body, it may directly be connected to the carrier,obviating any further constructive measures for attachment of the wiperstrip. However, to allow for the wiper strips, which will be worn duringoperation, to be designed as simple wearing parts, as well as also witha view to a covering desired for reasons of protection as well as foroptical reasons, it is, however, of particular advantage if the carrieris connected to a housing of the wiper strip unit, in which a wiperstrip is mounted which projects with a longitudinal side thereof througha slot opening of the housing. To allow for an equallization of mountingtolerances in the region of the guide rail units as well as of thecarriers guided therein which might possibly lead to slightly varyingspacings between the guide rail units, it is, furthermore, suitable ifthe housing is connected to the carrier so as to be displaceable in itslongitudinal direction, e.g. via a pin/long hole arrangement.

[0011] For the wiper strip to be easily movable over obstacles presenton the facade surface to be cleaned, without excessive wear of the wiperstrip, it is, moreover, advantageous if the wiper strip is received inthe housing so as to be movable towards and away from the surface to becleaned. With a view to a simple, effective construction it is,furthermore, suitable if the wiper strip is resiliently biased in thedirection towards the slot opening of the housing. For obtaining acontrolled evasion movement of the wiper strip, it is particularlyadvantageous if the wiper strip is connected to a cam follower laterallyprojecting from the housing through an opening thereof, which camfollower optionally has at least one associated control cam which isarranged in the region of a facade part that projects horizontallyrelative to the plane of the surface to be cleaned, such as a joiningsection between panes of glass, the wiper strip being rearwardly movablein the housing by the cam follower moved via the control cam, when thewiper strip is travelling over the projecting facade part. To achieve aneasy movement it is, furthermore, advantageous if the cam follower isdesigned with a freely rotatably mounted roller. For reasons of asimplified mounting it is, furthermore, suitable if the control cam ismounted on the guide rail unit.

[0012] For an efficient coupling of the carrier with the driving elementit has also proven suitable if the carrier is designed with several,e.g. two, tightly interconnected clamping parts between which thedriving element is fixed. Furthermore, for a safe entrainment of thecarrier and avoiding of slippage, it is particularly advantageous if oneof the clamping parts includes a toothed rail part fixedly arrangedthereon, which is engaged with the toothed belt provided as the drivingelement.

[0013] For a simple design and mounting of the guide rail unit it is,furthermore, advantageous if the guide rail unit is formed byinterconnected sections defining several channels, the carrier beingguided in one channel and projecting outward from the guide rail unitthrough a longitudinal slot. In particular, it is suitable if the guiderail unit includes a base section adapted to be fastened to the facadeand a cover section connected to the base section, which cover sectioncontains a receiving channel provided for the cleaning fluid line andclosed by a lid ledge.

[0014] In the present cleaning device, the spray nozzles may suitably bestationarily mounted on sections or the like provided on the facade. Itis, e.g., conceivable to mount the spray nozzles stationarily on joiningsections respectively present above or between the glass surfaces of thefacade of the building, in case the wiper strip unit moves in verticaldirection. For a particularly simple mounting, in particular at a laterinstallation on an already existing building, it has, however, provenadvantageous if the spray nozzles are stationarily arranged on the guiderail unit. If the guide rail unit is configured as a base section, coversection and lid section, it is, furthermore, suitable if the spraynozzles are mounted on the lid ledge and connected to the cleaning fluidline through this lid ledge. In this instance, the nozzle openings ofthe spray nozzles are directed towards the respective associated facadesurface to be cleaned, and for cleaning, cleaning pressurized fluid issupplied by aid of a stationary pump, by opening a valve, e.g. asolenoid valve, in the supply line.

[0015] To equalize a possible pressure drop which results with anincreasing distance of the spray nozzles from the cleaning fluid pump,it is, furthermore, advantageous if the spray nozzles have nozzlecross-sections varying along the guide rail unit and/or have varyingmutual spacings.

[0016] To keep the returning side of an endless driving element awayfrom the carrier, if such an endless driving element is used, and ifoscillations were to occur in the driving element during the startingmovements or when stopping the wiper strip unit, it is also suitable ifthe base section defines a guide channel with at least one ledgeprojection of L-shaped cross-section for the returning side of theendless driving element.

[0017] To counteract an undesired entry of humidity, in particular alsoof cleaning fluid, in the mounting region of the guide rail unit, it isfinally advantageous if the base section has receiving channels forseals at its rear side facing away from the cover section.

[0018] In the following, the invention will be explained in more detailby way of the preferred exemplary embodiments illustrated in thedrawings to which, however, it shall not be restricted. In detail,

[0019]FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a facade of a building includingglass surfaces to be cleaned, with cleaning devices provided pervertical glass surface row, the cleaning devices including verticallydisplaceable wiper strip units;

[0020]FIG. 2 shows a schematic horizontal partial section through such acleaning device, approximately according to line II-II of FIG. 1, with abroken away depicted wiper strip unit on a glass surface merelyschematically illustrated;

[0021]FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the part of the cleaning devicevisible in FIG. 2, in a slant top view,

[0022]FIG. 4 shows a schematic, partially exploded view of the cleaningdevice according to FIGS. 2 and 3, and

[0023]FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show schematic end views of a wiper strip unitabove a portion of a facade surface to be cleaned, when travelling overan obstacle, i.e. a projecting facade part, on the facade surface, FIG.5 showing the situation before travel over the obstacle has begun, FIG.6 showing the initial phase of travelling as controlled by a controlcam, and FIG. 7 showing the wiper strip in the position completelylifted by the control cam, when the obstacle is being travelled over.

[0024] In FIG. 1, a view of a building 1 comprising glass surfaces 2 tobe cleaned provided on a facade surface 3 is quite schematicallyillustrated. The glass surfaces 2 are separated from each other, orlaterally delimited, respectively, by vertical section rails 4 as wellas by horizontal abutments or joining sections 5. The vertical sectionrails 4 form guide rail units 6 visible in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3,which extend continuously over the entire height of the facade 3 andwhich—as visible in FIG. 2—are fastened on, e.g. screwed to, joiningsections 7 interconnecting the individual glass surfaces 2, asschematically indicated at 8 in FIG. 2.

[0025] The guide rail units 6 belong to cleaning devices 9 which includeone wiper strip unit 10 each which are upwardly and downwardlydisplaceable along the guide rail units 6, as indicated by arrows 11 inFIG. 1. According to FIG. 2, each wiper strip unit 10 is provided with awiper strip or blade 14 passing from a narrow (cf. also FIG. 3),ledge-shaped housing 12 at its narrow side facing the associated glasssurface 2 through a slot opening 13 (cf. FIG. 5), which wiper strip orblade 14 according to FIG. 5 is provided with a section enclosure andarranged in the housing 12 to be horizontally movable back and forth, asindicated by double arrow 16 in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0026] As furthermore schematically illustrated in FIG. 5, the wiperstrip section enclosure 15 may be loaded into the outward position byone or more helical pressure springs 17, wherein a stop not illustratedin detail in the drawing may delimit, in a per-se conventional manner,the outward movement of the wiper strip 14 including its sectionenclosure 15 out of housing 12. As will be explained in more detailhereinafter by way of FIGS. 5 to 7, this horizontal movability of thewiper strip 14 in an advantageous manner allows for a controlled travelover obstacles on the facade surface 3 during upward and downward travelof the wiper strip unit 10 of the cleaning device 9.

[0027] On each of its end sides, e.g. 18 in FIG. 2, the wiper strip unit10 is slidingly guided in its associated guide rail unit 6 by aid of acarrier 19. For this purpose, each guide rail unit 6 is designed withchannels 20 extending vertically over the entire facade height, onecarrier 19 each of a wiper strip unit 10 being slidingly guided in eachone of these vertical channels 20, as is particularly visible in FIG. 2in case of the carrier 19 shown there in the left-hand channel 20 withinguide rail unit 6. The right-hand channel 20 in FIG. 2 is illustratedempty for greater clarity, and at this side no wiper strip unit has beenillustrated above the neighbouring glass surface 2′. However, the nextwiper strip unit 10 would, of course, follow there and would beslidingly guided by a corresponding carrier 19 in (right-hand) channel20.

[0028] For forming channels 20, each guide rail unit 6 has a basesection 21 fastened to the afore-mentioned joining section 7 e.g. bymeans of screws 8. This base section 21 has L-shaped ledge projectionsor webs 22, one of them each projecting into a vertical channel 20; thepurpose of these webs 22 shall be explained in more detail hereinafter.At the inner side facing facade 3, the base section 21 moreover isprovided with hook-shaped section projections provided in pairs which inpairs form receiving channels 23 for seals 24. This allows for a sealedarrangement of base section 21 on facade 3.

[0029] A cover section 26 abuts on central, web-type projections 25 ofbase section 21, which cover section in its central region is tightlyconnected to the base section 21, e.g. by means of screws 27, after therespective carrier 19 has previously been mounted in the associatedchannel 20, cf. in this context also the exploded illustration of FIG.4.

[0030] Cover section 26 has a central receiving channel 28 in which acleaning fluid line 29, e.g. in the form of a hose, is received. Whenthe cleaning fluid line 29 has been mounted in receiving channel 28, thelatter is closed by a lid ledge 30 which may be provided in lengthsabutting each other in end to end relationship and which is providedwith spray nozzles 31 having nozzle openings directed towards therespective glass surface 2 to be cleaned, cf. also FIG. 1, where suchspray nozzles 31 are schematically indicated, in addition to FIGS. 2 and3. These spray nozzles 31 are thus stationarily attached on the guiderail units 6, and when the glass surfaces 3 of facade surface 3 are tobe cleaned, they are supplied with cleaning fluid, in particular water,under pressure via lines 29 by aid of a pump not illustrated in detailin the drawing, so that the cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the glasssurfaces 2. Subsequently, the wiper strip units 10 will travel from topto bottom—preferably together, in a line, as illustrated in FIG. 1,thereby cleaning the glass surfaces 2; in the subsequent upward stroke,the wiper strip units 10 will wipe the glass surfaces 2 more or lessdry, thereby providing cleaned and dry glass surfaces after this workcycle.

[0031] For this upward and downward travel of the wiper strip units 10under the guidance of their carriers 19 in channels 20 of the guide railunits 6, an endless driving element 32, e.g. in the form of a toothedbelt 33, is provided for each carrier 19. With its one side (run) 34,this toothed belt 33 is fixed between two fixedly connected, e.g.screwed together (as indicated in FIG. 2 at 35), clamping parts 36, 37of the carrier that is designed in two parts, cf. also FIG. 4, so thatthe toothed belt 33, when it moves back and forth (cf. also double arrow38 in FIG. 4) with its side 34 entrains the carrier 19 without slippageupwards and downwards to thereby move the wiper strip 10 which istightly connected to the carrier 19 upwards and downwards along thefacade. The one clamping part 37 may be equipped, or designed,respectively, with a fixed toothed rail part 19′ with which the toothedbelt 33 engages.

[0032] The idle side 39 of toothed belt 33 runs back free of contactwith the carrier 19 in the respective channel 20, the previouslymentioned ledge projections 22 of L-shaped cross-section in pairs eachforming a guide channel 40 for this returning side 39. The leg of theledge projection 22 extending in parallel to the facade surface 3delimits the guiding channel 40 towards the respective carrier 19 sothat the side 39 of toothed belt 33 is kept away from carrier 19, or itsinner clamping part 37, respectively—which is provided with acorresponding cut-out 41, cf. FIG. 2.

[0033] As merely quite schematically indicated in FIG. 1, toothed wheels42, or 43, respectively, are provided for the endless toothed belts 33at the upper side of the facade surface 3 just as on the lower sidethereof, over which the end-less toothed belts 33 are wound; thesetoothed wheels 42, 43 may each be seated on a shaft and thus co-rotate;at least it is provided that the one, e.g. upper, toothed wheels 42 areseated on a common drive shaft which is only quite schematicallyindicated by a broken line 44 and which is driven by an also only quiteschematically illustrated stationarily mounted motor 45.

[0034] Besides, in FIG. 1 a supply line 46 with a shutoff valve 47 forthe cleaning fluid to the spray nozzles 31 is shown. Moreover, it isshown that in addition to or instead of the spray nozzles 31 on thevertical guide rail units 6, downwardly directed spray nozzles 31′ mayalso be provided on horizontal joining sections 5, or on the uppermostsection 5′, respectively, for applying cleaning fluid to the glasssurfaces 2. Even though this is not illustrated in FIG. 1, such spraynozzles 31 may, moreover, be mounted on the intermediate joiningsections 5, between the glass surfaces 2, and this not only downwardlyoriented, but also with upwardly oriented nozzle openings.

[0035] As furthermore is visible in FIG. 2, the carrier 19 has aplate-shaped fastening part 48 which is fixedly connected to the oneclamping part 37 of carrier 19 via a connecting web 49 that projectsthrough a lateral, vertically extending longitudinal slot 50 between thetwo sections 21, 26 of guide rail unit 6. Plate 48 is provided with longholes 51 extending in longitudinal direction of the wiper strip unit 10,a pin 52 merely schematically illustrated in FIG. 2—being received ineach of the long holes 51, which pin is fixedly connected to the housing12 of the wiper strip unit 10, ensuring a horizontal movability ofhousing 12 relative to carrier 19 by this pin/long hole arrangement 52,51. Of course, such a pin/long hole arrangement 52, 51 is required onone side of the wiper strip unit 10 only, whereas on the other,non-illustrated side of the wiper strip unit 10 the plate 48 may befixedly connected to the housing 12, e.g. by screwing or also by weldingor riveting. By the horizontal movability provided by the pin/long holearrangement 52, 51, any possible production and mounting tolerances canbe equalized during attachment of the guide rail units 6 on facade 3,if, on account of these tolerances, the respective neighbouring guiderail units 6 between which the respective wiper strip unit 10 extendsdid not have a constant distance over the entire height of building 1.

[0036] As has already been previously mentioned, the wiper strip 14 isarranged in the housing 12 of the wiper strip unit 10 so as to beinwardly and outwardly displaceable, the spring 17 pressing the wiperstrip 14 outwards, i.e. towards the glass surface 2. In this way, thewiper strip 14 is capable of moving into the housing 12 in case ofobstacles present on the facade surface 3 so that its front blade part53 (cf. FIG. 5) will be protected. To control this retraction movement,control cams 54 may be attached on the guide rail unit 6 in the regionof such obstacles, i.e. projecting facade parts, on the facade surface3, which are formed e.g. by the previously mentioned horizontal joiningsections 5 between the glass surfaces 2, cf. in particular also FIGS. 3and 4 as well as FIGS. 5 to 7. These control cams 54 may each be mountedon the cover section 26, e.g. screwed thereto. The section enclosure 15of the respective wiper strip 14 is furthermore tightly connected to abearing part 55 for a freely rotatable roller 56 provided as a camfollower. During upward and downward movement of the wiper strip unit10, when the toothed belt 33 is driven, roller 56 thus runs up againstthe respective control cam 54 which is designed with corresponding ramps57, 58, and thereby lifts the wiper strip 14 off the glass surface 2 or,more precisely, off the obstacle, i.e. the joining section 5, cf. thedifferent phases of this lifting and travel according to FIGS. 5, 6(where roller 56 is just rolling over the upper ramp 57) and FIG. 7(according to which roller 56 has completely retracted the wiper strip14). Subsequently, the pressure spring only illustrated in FIG. 5presses the wiper strip 14, as it is moving over the ramp 58 towards theguide rail unit 6, again towards the glass surface 2 so that it cancontinue its cleaning activity there.

[0037] The spray nozzles 31 may have varying nozzle cross-sections orspacings over the height of building 1 so as to equalize a pressure dropthat results over the height of line 29, or facade 3, respectively;accordingly, in the arrangement according to FIG. 1, the spray nozzles31 may be the more closely arranged, the higher they are arranged, andthey may also have smaller nozzle openings for the cleaning fluid to besprayed sufficiently far onto the glass surfaces 2 even at greaterheights.

1. A cleaning device for a facade surface of a building, comprising atleast one elongate wiper strip unit movable back and forth along atleast one guide rail unit by means of a stationarily arranged drivemotor, the wiper strip unit extending at right angles to the guide railunit, and further comprising at least one cleaning fluid line with whichspray nozzles directed towards the surface to be cleaned are connected,characterised in that the wiper strip unit (10) includes at least onecarrier (19) slidingly guided in the guide rail unit (6), the carrierbeing fixedly connected to a linear driving element (32) that is movablealong the guide rail unit (6), the stationarily arranged drive motor(45) being associated with this driving element.
 2. A cleaning deviceaccording to claim 1, characterised in that a toothed belt (33) isprovided as the driving element (32).
 3. A cleaning device according toclaim 1 or 2, characterised in that the driving element (32) is anendless driving element which is wound about two wheels or the like (42,43) stationarily arranged beyond the points of reversal of the movementstroke of the wiper strip unit (10), one of these wheels being drivableby the drive motor (45).
 4. A cleaning device according to any one ofclaims 1 to 3, characterised in that the carrier (19) is connected to ahousing (12) of the wiper strip unit (10), in which a wiper strip (14)is mounted which projects with a longitudinal side thereof through aslot opening (13) of the housing (12).
 5. A cleaning device according toclaim 4, characterised in that the housing (12) is connected to thecarrier (19) so as to be displaceable in its longitudinal direction. 6.A cleaning device according to claim 5, characterised in that thehousing (12) is connected to the carrier (19) via a pin/long holearrangement (52, 51).
 7. A cleaning device according to any one ofclaims 4 to 6, characterised in that the wiper strip (14) is received inthe housing (12) so as to be movable towards and away from the surface(2) to be cleaned.
 8. A cleaning device according to claim 7,characterised in that the wiper strip (14) is resiliently biased in thedirection towards the slot opening (13) of the housing (12).
 9. Acleaning device according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that thewiper strip (14) is connected to a cam follower laterally projectingfrom the housing (12) through an opening thereof, which cam follower hasat least one associated control cam which is arranged in the region of afacade part that projects horizontally relative to the plane of thesurface (2) to be cleaned, such as a joining section between panes ofglass, the wiper strip (14) being rearwardly movable in the housing (12)by the cam follower moved via the control cam, when the wiper strip istravelling over the projecting facade part.
 10. A cleaning deviceaccording to claim 9, characterised in that the cam follower is designedwith a freely rotatably mounted roller.
 11. A cleaning device accordingto claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the control cam is mounted onthe guide rail unit (6).
 12. A cleaning device according to any one ofclaims 1 to 11, characterised in that the carrier (19) is designed withseveral tightly interconnected clamping parts (36, 37) between which thedriving element (32) is fixed.
 13. A cleaning device according to claim12, characterised in that the carrier (19) is designed with two clampingparts (36, 37).
 14. A cleaning device according to claim 12 or 13,characterised in that one of the clamping parts (37) includes a toothedrail part (19′) fixedly arranged thereon, which is engaged with thetoothed belt (33) provided as the driving element (32).
 15. A cleaningdevice according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that theguide rail unit (6) is formed by interconnected sections (21, 26)defining several channels (20, 28), the carrier (19) being guided in onechannel (20) and projecting outward from the guide rail unit through alongitudinal slot.
 16. A cleaning device according to any one of claims1 to 15, characterised in that the guide rail unit (6) includes a basesection (21) adapted to be fastened to the facade and a cover section(26) connected to the base section, which cover section contains areceiving channel (28) provided for the cleaning fluid line (29) andclosed by a lid ledge (30).
 17. A cleaning device according to any oneof claims 1 to 16, characterised in that the spray nozzles (31) arestationarily arranged on the guide rail unit (6).
 18. A cleaning deviceaccording to claim 17, characterised in that the spray nozzles (31) aremounted on the lid ledge (30) and connected to the cleaning fluid line(29) through this lid ledge (30).
 19. A cleaning device according toclaim 14 or 15, characterised in that the spray nozzles (31) have nozzlecross-sections varying along the guide rail unit (6) and/or varyingmutual spacings.
 20. A cleaning device according to any one of claims 15to 19, characterised in that the base section (21) defines a guidechannel (40) with at least one ledge projection (22) of L-shapedcross-section for the returning side (39) of the endless driving element(32).
 21. A cleaning device according to any one of claims 15 to 20,characterised in that the base section (21) has receiving channels (23)for seals (24) at its rear side facing away from the cover section (26).